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Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1)

EHV-1 Outbreak

What is EHV-1?

  • Equine Herpes Virus is one of the most common respiratory diseases affecting horses. There are at least four equine herpes viruses.
  • EHV1 and EHV4 are the two herpes viruses that commonly cause respiratory disease.
  • EVH1 can also cause neurologic disease.
  • EHV-1 is commonly found in horse populations worldwide and was previously referred to as the equine abortion virus. Although EHV-1 is well known for causing reproductive disease, it is also known to cause respiratory and neurological disease.
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How much benefit can carrots provide in the case of suspected equine vitamin A deficiency?

Years ago, chopped carrots might have made up a significant portion of a work horse’s diet. In Europe, root vegetables are more likely to be fed chopped or dried to compliment a horse’s diet. However, carrots are 90% water which in today’s world makes them better suited as treats than a major feed source for most US horse owners.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in the liver for three to six months. The fact that it …

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Common Lamenesses in Horses

While some breeds and types of horses are more prone to lameness than others, almost every horse has or will have been lame at some point in its life. This article discusses three common types of lameness that affect all kinds of horses: proximal suspensory desmitis, tarsitis and patellar fixation.

Proximal Suspensory Desmitis

The suspensory ligament is an important supporting structure which lies on the flexor surface of the cannon region of the fore and hindlimb. It originates from the …

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Determining the Age of Horses by Their Teeth

A horse’s age determines many factors in its life, including diet, schedule and training. But without adequate records, determining the age of your horse can be difficult. This article discusses the practice of aging horses by their teeth and the four main ways you can visually determine the horse’s age.

 

The art of determining the age of horses by inspection of the teeth is an old one. It can be developed to a considerable degree of accuracy in determining …

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Basic Dental Care For Horses

Dental checkups are essential for horses. As a horse becomes older, the shape and angle of its teeth begin to change and some problems may occur. Knowing what problem signs to look for will help prevent further dental problems. This article explains what an owner and an equine dentist should look for when examining a horse’s teeth, based on the age of the horse.

When was the last time you had your horse’s teeth checked? If you’re like most horse …

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Assessing the Health and Well-being of Horses

Every equestrian and horse owner should be able to determine if a horse is healthy. A horse’s health is based on physical, emotional and physiological factors. This article gives a brief introduction to assessing your horse’s health. 

Colleen Brady, Ed Pajor, Janice Sojka, Nicole Buck, John Berends, Mark Russell Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University; Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Purdue University; and Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University

Introduction

Equine well-being is a very important issue to the …

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Equine Purchase Exams

Equine purchase exams inform the buyer of existing or potential problems that could render the horse unsuitable for its intended use. This article explains what a veterinarian examines when conducting a purchase exam. 

Glenn F. Anderson, DVM,Private Equine Practitioner; Carolynn MacAllister, DVM, OSU Extension Veterinarian

Unlike other consumer products that one might purchase, horses rarely come with a guarantee. Therefore, the buyer must make the best possible attempt to select an animal that is suitable and capable of performing a …

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How to Give Your Horse an Intramuscular Injection

While veterinarians predominantly give horses injections, some situations call for horse owners to give their horse an injection. Therefore, being able to safely administer an intramuscular injection is an important skill that horse owners should have. This article explains the techniques and locations to give a horse an intramuscular injection

ANR-1018, New Dec 1996. Cynthia A. McCall, Extension Animal Scientist, Associate Professor, Animal and Dairy Sciences, Auburn University 

Most horse owners occasionally must give their horse an injection. Fortunately, giving …

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Temperature, Pulse and Respiration in a Horse

Craig Wood, University of Kentucky

Equine Vital Signs

Temperature, pulse, and respiration ( TPR) are the basic physiological parameters every horse owner or care provider should know if he or she wants to take proper care of a horse. These three vital signs are very important and can greatly help you and your veterinarian when you think your horse might be sick. Just knowing the normal values for these three vital signs can provide great insight about …

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How to Administer an Injection in horses

Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky 

How to vaccinate

Giving an injection for the first time can be a little nerve-racking, but with practice it gets easier. Horses feel far less pain then humans do from shots. Most vaccines are given intramuscularly (IM) in the neck or hip. Injections can also be given subcutaneously (SQ) or intravenously (IV). Subcutaneous injections are given under the skin but not in the muscle. Intravenous injections are given directly into a vein.

In preparation …